Adelaide gasped as she quickly sat up in her bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around the room, her eyes darting from one corner to another. It took a moment for her to realize that she was inside her bedroom and not standing on the Wickery Bridge in her wet clothes. She let out a sigh of relief, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins refused to subside.
Adelaide groaned as she laid her head back down on the pillow, trying to calm herself down. These nightmares had been haunting her ever since the accident. The memories of that fateful night replayed in her mind, like a broken record that refused to stop. But it wasn't just the memories that tormented her. It was the voice.
"It's not your time yet, Luscinia."
Adelaide clenched her fists, the words echoing in her mind. Who was this woman? And why did she keep hearing her voice? These questions plagued her every night, driving her to the brink of insanity. She felt like a prisoner trapped within her own mind, with no way to escape.
"You okay?" she heard Jenna's voice asking her, breaking through her thoughts. Adelaide turned her head and saw her aunt standing in the doorway, concern etched on her face.
"Yeah, why?" Adelaide replied, her voice shaky.
"You were screaming," Jenna said softly as she made her way inside the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Adelaide felt tears welling up in her eyes as she realized that she couldn't hide her pain any longer. "I think I'm going insane, Aunt Jenna."
"Oh, honey," Jenna said, her voice filled with empathy. She sat down on the bed next to Adelaide, gently wiping away her tears. "What's going on?"
Adelaide took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Ever since I woke up in the hospital, I've been hearing this woman's voice inside my head."
"What do you mean?" Jenna asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"I remember the crash. I remember the water. But then, everything went black. And suddenly, I'm standing on the bridge in wet clothes, and I hear her voice. She keeps telling me it's not my time yet," Adelaide explained, her voice trembling with fear and confusion.
Jenna listened intently, her eyes full of compassion. "I don't know what to say."
"You think I'm crazy," Adelaide said, a hint of desperation in her voice.
Jenna shook her head firmly. "No, Adelaide. I think you're trying to find a reason as to why you and Elena survived and your parents did not."
"Maybe I'm going insane," Adelaide whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wouldn't be the first Gilbert to go insane."
Jenna reached out and took Adelaide's hand in hers, offering comfort and support. "Enough. I need you to stop putting yourself through this, okay? You need to stop feeling guilty for surviving the accident."
Adelaide wiped away her tears, looking into Jenna's eyes. "I don't know how."
"How about one day at a time?" Jenna suggested, her voice gentle yet firm.
Adelaide nodded slowly. "Okay."
Jenna smiled, her love for Adelaide shining through. "Okay. We'll take it one day at a time. But for now, why don't you go downstairs? I made breakfast for you."
Adelaide managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Aunt Jenna."
Jenna placed a kiss on the top of Adelaide's head before standing up. "When you're ready, there's a celebration for the Comet tonight. You promised to help out."
Adelaide's confusion grew. "What? Oh, right. I completely forgot."
Jenna chuckled softly. "I'll see you downstairs then. Take your time."
As Jenna left the room, Adelaide couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could find solace in the present and leave the ghosts of the past behind. It was going to be a long journey, but with Jenna's unwavering support, Adelaide believed that she could face her fears and embrace the life that awaited her. The voice in her head may still haunt her, but Adelaide was determined to discover the truth behind those haunting words.
Adelaide had spent the whole day helping all the other volunteers set up for the Night of the Comet. It had been a busy day, filled with laughter, camaraderie, and a sense of purpose. As the sun began to set, turning the sky a stunning shade of orange, Adelaide found herself in the town square, surrounded by a sea of people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the comet.
Just as she was about to go in search of her sister, Adelaide noticed a girl standing alone. Concerned, she walked towards her and offered her a program for the night's event.
"Hey, would you like a program for tonight?" Adelaide asked, a smile on her face.
The girl turned, her eyes widening in surprise. "You okay?" Adelaide questioned, sensing something was amiss.
"Hmm? Yeah," the girl nodded, taking the pamphlet that Adelaide held out to her. "Have we met before?"
Adelaide frowned, a sense of familiarity tugging at her. "No? Sorry," the girl replied, shaking her head. "I'm just..."
Adelaide laughed, shaking her head. "You sure? Do you go to our school?"
"I'm homeschooled, and I don't get out much. But this is such a once-in-a-lifetime thing," the girl explained, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Oh, definitely. It will probably be another 145 years before the comet returns, and we will all be long gone by then," Adelaide joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"I'm Ann, by the way," the girl introduced herself.
Adelaide shook the hand that Ann held out with a warm smile. "I'm Adelaide. It's nice to meet you, Ann."
Before Ann could say anything else, Caroline swooped in and handed Adelaide a candle. "Here you go. Nice to meet you! We gotta go," Caroline said, pulling Adelaide away from Ann.
As Adelaide, Caroline, and their friends made their way towards a bench, where Matt and Elena were waiting, she couldn't shake off the feeling of missing out on a connection with Ann. However, the excitement of the comet's arrival soon took over, and Adelaide found herself caught up in the magical moment.
As they sat together, Adelaide couldn't help but notice Matt's gaze lingering on Elena. She sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of longing in her heart. Linking her arm with Matt's, she tried to distract herself from her own thoughts. Matt turned to her, smiling as he saw the goofy grin on Adelaide's face.
"Don't," Matt said, his smile widening.
"What?" Adelaide responded, feigning innocence.
"I know what you're trying to do," Matt told her, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Is it working?" she asked, her voice filled with hope.
"I hate you," Matt said, pulling her closer to him.
"No, you love me," Adelaide declared, teasingly.
"No, I don't," Matt shot back, a smile creeping onto his face.
"You love me!" Adelaide shouted, unable to contain her joy.
Matt placed his hand over her mouth, glancing around to see if anyone had heard. "If I say it, will you shut up?" he asked with a smirk.
Adelaide nodded eagerly, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. Matt removed his hand and looked into her eyes, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I love you too."
"I know," Adelaide replied, her smile widening.
"Shut up," Matt said with a chuckle, pulling her along to a bench where they sat, their candles flickering in the night sky as they watched the comet together.
Unbeknownst to them, Tyler leaned against a nearby tree, watching them with a mix of emotions.
Once it was over they all headed to the Grill. The group made their way towards a table when Jeremy came running towards them. "Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?" he asked, panting with anxiety.
"You're her stalker. You tell us," Tyler said, rolling his eyes as he made his way towards the group.
"I can't find her," Jeremy replied, his voice filled with worry.
"She probably found someone else to party with," Tyler smirked. "Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced."
"That's enough, Tyler," Adelaide said, her voice firm as she stared hard at him. She couldn't stand his constant taunting.
"Is it?" Tyler questioned, a hint of challenge in his tone as he turned to face Adelaide. His smugness was infuriating.
Elena looked at Tyler in confusion as she questioned, "What's with the pill pusher?"
"Ask him," Tyler said, jerking his head in Jeremy's direction.
"You wanna do this right now?" Jeremy growled, his anger simmering below the surface.
Elena looked at her brother, her eyes wide with concern. "You dealing?"
"She's never going to go for you," Tyler told Jeremy, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.
"She already did," Jeremy said, his voice filled with bitterness. "Over and over and over again."
"Yeah, right," Tyler said dismissively, not believing a word that was coming out of Jeremy's mouth.
"You slept with Vicki Donovan?" Caroline paused, her shock evident. "I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?"
Tyler shook his head, his denial resolute. "There's no way."
"And I didn't have to force her into it," Jeremy growled, his anger boiling over. The room fell into a hushed silence, everyone processing Jeremy's confession.
"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt, Jeremy's best friend, turned to him in anger and confusion.
"Nothing, man. Just ignore him. He's being a punk," Tyler said, his voice laced with anger as he glared at Jeremy. He didn't want to deal with the truth that was being revealed.
"You know what?" Matt suggested, his voice filled with determination. "How about all of you shut up and help me find my sister."
Bonnie nodded, her eyes filled with concern, as she grabbed Caroline's hand. "We'll check the back," she informed Caroline before the two of them quickly left the Grill.
"I'll check the square," Matt told the group, his worry etched into every word, before he jogged towards the exit.
"I'm coming with you," Jeremy called out, hoping to assist Matt in any way he could.
But Adelaide had other plans. She quickly grabbed Jeremy by the ear, twisting it tightly. "You're coming with me," she ordered, her voice firm and filled with anger. She led him to the side of the Grill where no one could hear their conversation.
Once she was sure that everyone had left, Adelaide released her hold on Jeremy's ear. "So, that's your game now? Dealing? Are you kidding me?" Adelaide's anger got the better of her, and she couldn't hold back her frustration any longer. She shoved him so hard that he stumbled backward.
"I'm not dealing," Jeremy denied, his voice desperate.
"You promised me that you would stop," Adelaide shouted, her voice filled with disappointment and hurt as she shoved him once more.
Elena stepped in front of Adelaide, trying to intervene and prevent her from attacking Jeremy further. "Look, I'm sick of the tough love speech, Jer. It's clearly having no impact," she said, her voice tinged with frustration.
"You and Jenna, between the two of you, it's enough already. Adelaide is the only one who understands me and doesn't try to tell me what to do."
"Yeah, well, that stops now!" Adelaide said, cutting him off. Her voice wavered with sadness, as she had reached her breaking point. "I love you, Jer, but I can't do this anymore." Adelaide's confession hung heavy in the air as she turned around and walked away from her siblings. Elena tried to call out to her, but Adelaide shook her head, tears streaming down her face, and walked out of the grill.
Adelaide was heading towards her car when she saw Matt standing in the middle of the town square with a scared look on his face. Adelaide sighed, her plans for the evening suddenly put on hold, as she made her way towards him.
"You haven't found her yet?" Adelaide called out, concern dripping in her voice, as she reached Matt's side.
"No, not yet. Come on," Matt replied, his voice tense and filled with worry.
Together, they walked further into the square, where they unexpectedly bumped into Stefan. Adelaide wasted no time and called out to him, desperate for any information.
"Hey, Stefan!" Adelaide called out, her voice almost pleading. "Have you seen Vicki?"
Stefan looked momentarily confused by the question before his face softened with understanding. "No, sorry," he replied sympathetically, his eyes filled with a mixture of empathy and concern.
"We can't find her. She's missing," Matt blurted out, frustration lacing his words.
Stefan nodded, his expression serious and determined. "I'll keep an eye out for her," he reassured them before turning to walk away.
But the conversation took an unexpected turn when Matt couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. "I saw you at the hospital yesterday," he began, his voice laced with suspicion.
Stefan paused, his eyes meeting Matt's with a mix of surprise and guardedness. "Did you?" he asked, his tone cautious.
"What were you doing there?" Matt questioned further, his voice now edged with skepticism.
Stefan sighed, feeling the weight of his unspoken secrets. "Visiting," he repeated, not sure if Matt would believe his explanation.
"You know, Elena and I have known each other for a long time," Stefan added, almost pleading for understanding. "We might not be together right now, but I look out for her, and I will always look out for her."
Matt stopped talking, his gaze fixed on Stefan as he tilted his head as if he was listening to something that Adelaide and Matt couldn't hear. Without any warning, Stefan excused himself and swiftly walked away, leaving Adelaide and Matt standing there in utter confusion and bewilderment.
"That was weird," Adelaide mumbled, shaking her head in disbelief as they continued their search for Vicki.
Adelaide sighed as she finally opened the door of the Gilbert house. It had been a long day, and all she was ready to lay down in her warm bed. As she made her way up the stairs, exhaustion weighing heavy on her shoulders, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
She was about to walk into her bedroom when she heard faint sounds coming from Jeremy's bedroom. Concerned, Adelaide hesitated for a moment before deciding to check on him. She approached his bedroom door, bracing herself for whatever she might find.
To her surprise, it wasn't Jeremy in his room. It was her aunt, Jenna. Jenna was digging through Jeremy's bedside table, searching for something. Adelaide's confusion deepened, and she couldn't help but ask, "What're you doing, Aunt Jenna?"
Jenna stood up, a guilty expression on her face as she confessed, "I have become my worst nightmare. The hypocrite patrol." She let out a deep sigh before continuing, "I'm the authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy."
Adelaide stared at her aunt, her mind racing to understand the situation. "What brought this on?" she asked, trying to make sense of Jenna's behavior.
Jenna paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. Finally, she spoke, her voice heavy with frustration. "Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good today," she admitted. "I felt like I was failing as a parent, and it hit me hard."
Adelaide couldn't help but smirk at Jenna's mention of Tanner, their infamous history teacher. "You got Tannered," she said, her voice filled with amusement.
Jenna's face softened, and she nodded. "Discover the impossible, Ms. Summers," she mimicked Tanner's voice. "Exactly. I feel like I'm failing at the impossible task of being a parent. High school, marriage, having you guys... Your mom made it look so easy."
Sitting down on Jeremy's bed, Adelaide reached out to her aunt, taking her hand in a comforting gesture. "You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna," she reassured. "You're doing the best you can, and that's all anyone can ask for."
Jenna sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Yes, I am," she admitted, tears welling up in her eyes. "And you want to know why? Because I'm not her. I can't be your mom. She was amazing at balancing everything. I'm just not cut out for this. I'm going to say the wrong thing, and Jeremy will get worse, and it'll all be my fault. It's impossible."
Adelaide shook her head, her voice filled with conviction. "This is just the fear talking, Aunt Jenna," she said firmly. "You're a little scared, that's all. You went from taking care of yourself to taking care of three teenagers. It's a big adjustment, but you're doing a great job. Mom would be so proud of you."
Jenna's tears flowed freely now as she absorbed Adelaide's words. "You really think so?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Adelaide nodded, a genuine smile gracing her lips. "She wouldn't have left us in your hands if she didn't think you could do it," she said softly. "And you know what? We're lucky to have you. Jeremy will get better, we all will. We just have to take it one day at a time."
"One day at a time," Jenna repeated, a newfound determination shining in her eyes. She wiped away her tears and mustered a smile.